Topic: Structure and Composition of The Atmosphere: Paper Code: GGY HC - 2026 Part-I Group - A: Climatology
Topic: Structure and Composition of The Atmosphere: Paper Code: GGY HC - 2026 Part-I Group - A: Climatology
Part- I
Group- A: Climatology
Structure of Atmosphere
Structure means the arrangement of different part into one. In another words, it is the
skeleton or organization or anatomy of a whole by looking at the relationships with its parts.
According to this background, the study of different parts of the atmosphere and the relationship
with its parts is said to be the structure of the atmosphere. Vertically, the atmosphere is divided
into different layers/ parts. Therefore, the study of different layers is known as structure of
atmosphere. Based on chemical composition, the atmosphere is classified into two. They are
homosphere and heterosphere.
1) Troposphere: It is the lowest and densest layer of the atmosphere. It extends till a height of
about 8 km over pole but over equator, it is 18 km. About 80 percent of the total mass of the
atmosphere lays in this layer. With increase in height, the temperature keeps on declining till
the limit of this layer. On an average, the decrease in temperature with height is 60Celsius
par km. The upper boundary is known as troposphere laying between 8 and 18 km. At this
level, the average temperature reaches to minus 500 to minus 600 Celsius (Figure 8). Water
vapour is found in this layer in abundance and about 99 percent of the total atmospheric
water vapour is concentrated here but wide variation is seen in terms of height and
longitudes. Vapour plays very vital role in regulating the temperature of the earth by
creating greenhouse effect. All weather phenomena are occurring in this layer only.
Troposphere is the home of all types of clouds, atmospheric turbulence and mixing of the
air. Both horizontal and vertical mixing is quite prominent here. In fact, the term
troposphere is derived from the Greek word ‘tropos’ means ‘turn’. Sphere is signifying
‘ball’ or a structure which is round in shape attaining a three-dimensional space. Therefore,
the troposphere is a three-dimensional object with turning or mixing characteristics. Every
sort of living life is confined to the biosphere which include land water and air. The upper
limit of troposphere is tropopause which is a transition zone another upper layer known as
stratosphere.
3) Mesosphere: Mesosphere is the third but the upper-most layer of the homosphere. After this
layer, heterosphere starts. The literal meaning of mesosphere is the middle sphere. It is
separated by tropopause below from troposphere and mesopause on the top from
thermosphere. It is extended from 50 km to 85 km from the earth’s surface. The air pressure
is very low. This layer is characterised by decreasing temperature and the coldest/ lowest
atmospheric temperature is recorded in this layer. The lowest temperature estimated near the
mesosphere is around minus 1300Celsius. It is colder that the lowest temperature recorded
over Antarctic. Between 75 to 85 km from the earth, noctilucent clouds are normal affairs in
the summer nights between 500 to 700 north and south latitudes. Its literal meaning is night
shining. It is a deep twilight seen only when the sun is on horizon but the sunlight is still
falling at that height. The seen clouds are made up of ice crystals. Meteoric dust particles
work like nuclei for ice crystallization which are falling as well as produced due to burning
of meteor caused by friction.
4) Thermosphere: This sphere extends from mesopouse i.e., 85 km to about 650 km from
earth. The temperature is on rise in this layer due to absorption of solar radiation by small
amount of oxygen molecules present. It is highly dependent upon the solar activities. The
temperature reaches beyond 12000C at an altitude of about 350 km but by 650 km it may
even rise to 20000C. This much high temperature is primarily defined by average speed
with which molecules are moving. Because of this, the temperature may be high. The
effectiveness of this temperature is not that great. Its exposure to astronaut, if they are
coming out from the capsule, is not affecting at all.
5) Exosphere: Exo means external. Therefore, exosphere the external or the outer most layer
of the atmosphere. Its lower boundary starts from the thermopause (650 km) to the limit
from where the void space begins. This limit is estimated to be about 10000 km. This much
distance is little less than the diameter of the earth. It is really a very big size of the limit of
the atmosphere. In exosphere, very light gases are traced and they are hydrogen and helium.
Their molecules are spaced very widely. Beyond the upper limit of exosphere, the space is
considered to be void.
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